Follow KPCC

Top Villaraigosa aide declares candidacy for LA City Council

by Alice Walton

Share

Matt Szabo is running for the Los Angeles City Council's Thirteenth District. He is a longtime aide to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Matt Szabo

A longtime aide to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is jumping into a crowded city council race to represent the Hollywood area.

Matt Szabo is the 13th person to declare in the Los Angeles City Council’s Thirteenth District, where Councilman Eric Garcetti is being termed out of office. Szabo is a deputy chief of staff to the mayor. He previously worked for former Mayor Richard Riordan and then-Councilwoman Wendy Greuel.

In a four-page letter to the mayor, Szabo highlights what he sees as the administration's successes: a stable financial outlook, a more environmentally-friendly public utility, and safer streets.

"The experience I've gained working on your behalf has given me a particular skill set and knowledge base: I know how the city works, I know how it doesn't work, and I know how to make it work. And I'd like to put that to work directly for the people of this city -- and particularly for those who remain in the shadows with little or no voice in City Hall," he wrote in his letter.

After six years, Szabo’s final day with Villaraigosa will be on Friday, according to his resignation letter. So far, four candidates in the race have reached the $50,000 fundraising threshold – Alexander De Ocampo, John Choi, Josh Post and Emile Mack. Campaign finance reports for the period ending June 30 will be filed with the city’s Ethics Commission by the end of the month.

The other declared candidates are:

Scott Crawford

Stefano Formica

Sam Kbushyan

BongHwan Kim

Reuben A. Martinez

Mitch O’Farrell

Thomas Marshall Penick

Jose Sigala

The Thirteenth District includes Hollywood, Silver Lake, Echo Park and Atwater Village. The primary is set for March of next year.